Sunday, 13 April 2003

From skyscraper heels to skin tight jeans, many of us repeatedly
choose style over comfort. However, this could be bad news for your
health. Here are the top 10 items of clothing which can put your health
at risk.Fashion health hazard 1: Skinny jeans
Skinny jeans may be fashionable, but wearing skin-tight denim and
other close-fitting trousers can have health repercussions for both
women and men. For men, wearing tight trousers can cause overheating of
the testes, lowering sperm count and causing fertility problems. For
women, wearing skinny jeans can increase your chances of developing
thrush. Furthermore, squeezing into skin-tight trousers can cause nerve
compression, leading to tingling or numb thighs.Fashion health hazard 2: High heels
Once reserved for special occasions, women are now increasingly
opting to wear heels on a daily basis, which could lead to a whole host
of health problems. Regularly wearing high heels can cause poor posture,
put pressure on your joints, and lead to a range of conditions
including arthritis, hammer toes, back pain and tendon injuries – and
that’s before you take into account any heel-related accidents! Minimise
damage by limiting your heels to 1.5 inches for daily wear and wearing
insoles to help reduce the pressure on joints. Swapping to wedges will
also give you more support.Fashion health hazard 3: Flip-flops
While they may look more comfortable – and less dangerous – than high
heels, flip-flops can also generate their fair share of health
problems. In fact, in Britain the NHS reportedly spends £40 million a
year treating injuries caused by wearing flip-flops. As wearing
flip-flops offers no arch support or heel cushioning and forces you to
adapt how you walk, the casual footwear can lead to joint pain, shin
splints and orthopaedic problems. As with heels, flip-flops have their
place, but they are better reserved for the beach and replaced with more
supportive shoes for everyday wear.Fashion health hazard 4: Sexy underwear
Ladies, we all like to look our best in our underwear, but donning
synthetic fabrics and thongs could leave you feeling far from sexy. Not
only can rough materials cause chafing and infections to delicate skin,
but wearing synthetic materials can encourage yeast organisms to
multiply, increasing risk of thrush. Furthermore, wearing thongs can
easily contribute to the spread of bacteria, leading to urinary tract
infections. To help prevent any nasty itches, swap skimpy, synthetic
underwear for pretty cotton briefs for daily wear.Fashion health hazard 5: Y-fronts
Guys, you may not have lacy underwear or thongs to contend with, but
your underwear could still be causing you problems. Just as with tight
trousers, wearing tight-fitting Y-fronts can cause overheating and lead
to reduced sperm production and fertility for up to 11 weeks. While
these effects are temporary, if you are trying for a baby it is
important to keep things cool by swapping tight briefs for boxer shorts
at all times.Fashion health hazard 6: Piercings
According to survey results published in the British Medical Journal,
25 per cent of body piercings lead to complications including swelling,
bleeding and infection. Furthermore, even if you avoid infection,
jewellery can lead to rashes and itching for those with nickel
allergies, while dangly earrings can damage the ear tissue as it is
stretched and pulled down by their weight. To accessorize your look
without putting your health at risk, always go to a reputable piercer
for new piercings, opt for hypoallergenic jewellery where possible and
reserve heavy earrings for special occasions.Fashion health hazard 7: Slimming underwear
Slimming underwear (or control pants) are a big seller, endorsed by
many a celeb and loved by ladies everywhere. However, while they may
pull in all your lumps and bumps and help you look streamlined and
leaner in your favourite dress, Bridget Jones style tummy-control
underwear could also affect your health. Similar to a corset, control
underwear puts increased pressure on the stomach, often leading to
heartburn, breathing problems and digestive problems. Conditions such as
irritable bowel syndrome can also be worsened by such restrictive
underwear.Fashion health hazard 8: Handbags
With the rising number of gadgets and accessories many women haul
around, you could be carrying around several pounds of weight on your
shoulders every day. While you may not feel the effects of this right
now, lugging around a heavy handbag can eventually lead to serious back
problems and neck pain as well as poor posture. Don’t wait until the
damage is done – do your health a favour and try clearing out all
non-essential items and switching to a smaller bag.Fashion health hazard 9: Tight shirt collars and ties
If you often suffer from headaches, tingly ears or blurred vision at
work, it may be that your shirt and tie are to blame. Wearing tight
shirt collars and ties can reduce blood flow to the brain and increase
intraocular pressure (pressure inside the eye), causing these symptoms.
The restrictive items of clothing can also limit neck movement and lead
to muscle tension in the back and shoulders. To reduce these symptoms,
make sure you buy shirts with the correct collar size and loosen your
tie. Also, wash your ties regularly to avoid bacterial infection.Fashion health hazard 10: Bras
While we are not suggesting you need to ditch your bra entirely, it’s
important to make sure that, if you are wearing one, you are wearing
one that fits. It is thought that more than 70 per cent of women are
wearing the wrong bra size, and this can lead to a range of health
problems including back, neck and breast pain, breathing difficulties,
poor posture, skin irritation, circulation problems and even irritable
bowel syndrome. Breast size can change over time so, rather than
guessing your size, make sure you get measured to ensure you are getting
the support you need.
Visit the realbuzz for more lifestyle tips.

I’m a woman who loves her heels and platforms, but every now and then
a pair of fun flats or sneakers is necessary. Let’s face it: walking
the mean, crowded, and not always level streets of New York City in 5″
stilts is not an everyday possibility unless you’re lucky enough to have
a driver. Del Toro
has come to the rescue for all of us in need of relief with their Fall
2012 collection full of their signature velvet loafers in fun prints, as
well as menswear-inspired wingtips and oxfords and even on-trend
high-top sneakers.
Autumn is all about texture and the brand gives us all of the
season’s classics in standout ways including a bright tweed, cheetah
print pony hair, and metallic lizard.

Dare to wear camo? Del Toro offers a loafer and a high-top sneaker
for anyone who loves the military-inspired print. The former isn’t my
cup of tea, but I would definitely rock the latter with a pair of
cut-offs and a tee to let them shine.
The Prince Albert Neon Slipper Loafers and Red Orange Alto Chukkas
are two of my favorite styles from the collection. You can get your
dose of brights with both and they really are perfect for year-round
wear.
Styles in the collection are a splurge, retailing for $325 – $950. If
you decide to make a purchase,
Visit www.modaoperandi.com to pick out your favorite pair now.
What do you think?

While all three ladies opted for black heels, with Mel in Versace, Alicia in Stella McCartney, and Monica in Giuseppe Zanotti, Monica was the only celeb to break up the monotone white and black with a bright green Birkin bag.
The two-tone dress features a form-fitting, knee-length silhouette, and sleeves that measure right above the elbow.Alicia won the last Who Wore it Better in a landslide,
I love how Monica added a bit of color with her bag. And as for Mel B,
those shoes seems way to chunky for such a sleek look. What do you
think?

*Can’t decide? Get the dress, plus versions of each of their heels here:

The Resort 2013 collections are here and though seasons ahead, they
align perfectly with the warm weather we are currently experiencing. Salvatore Ferragamo
is a brand known for luxury and elegance and its bags for Resort are
right in line with the fashion house’s aesthetic, given a fresh vibe for
the season with vibrant hues, color blocking, and rich textures for fun
spins on the classics.
Ferragamo is not a luxury brand built on eccentric design, but one
that values functionality coupled with standout detailing and these bags
reflect that. Over sized clutches in eye-popping shades, roomy color block totes for your everyday needs, leather top-handle bags
boasting the fashion house’s signature hardware: these styles work for
the Ferragamo woman who has always been a jetsetter and a “lady who
lunches”, but they work just as well for a young fashionista starting
her collection who cherishes durability.
A Resort collection would be nothing without hints of the exotic and those are offered for the season in stingray and snakeskin.
Ferragamo handbags are timeless and if you get your hands on one, you
will surely have a lifelong wardrobe staple. You will have to splurge a
bit, but there’s no question when it comes to their quality. Celebrities
including Cassie, Eva Longoria, Freida Pinto, and a slew of others are fans of the brand so let’s see if they try this arm candy on for size.
Visit www.modaoperandi.com to pre-order your favorite pieces now.
What do you think?

FLOTUS wore the dress again on Tuesday, June 5th in Washington D.C. to announce her food initiative with Disney Theme Parks.

This time, she styled the vibrant multicolor dress with a pale yellow
blazer and a pearl necklace. She wore her beloved blue kitten heels
again as well.
I love how she styled the dress both times!
Instead of pairing the dress with neutrals, she went for vibrant colored
accessories that really make the look pop. If I have to choose
a favorite, I’d go with her first look because I live for those pink
earrings and I think the dress is so bold it should stand alone.
What’s your verdict, When did Michelle Obama wear her Preen Spring 2012 color block dress best? Tell us in the comments!

Wednesday, 9 April 2003

Following Solange Knowles’ yellow Marni dress which she wore to the CFDA Fashion Awards we noticed something. Solange loves to wear yellow on the red carpet.
It takes a brave woman to wear head-to-toe yellow, and Solange is just that woman.
The DJ knows how to stand out in a crowd, infusing the vibrant colour into her signature style.
Solange has been lighting up the red carpet with her bright yellow
sartorial choices, whether it’s a perfectly tailored blazer or a
dramatic peplum gown.
The bright colour perfectly offsets the star’s gorgeous features, making her almond eyes pop and smooth skin glow.
To make yellow as versatile as basic black, takes cues from the
fashion-forward DJ by incorporating the sunny hue with your favourite
wardrobe staples.
If you’re not quite ready to don a floor-length gown quite yet, steal
a look from Solange and try a tailored blazer or a summery cocktail
dress.
Giving any outfit a fun pop of colour, Solange always manages to also
incorporate her signature colour with some bright accessories.
Try a chic belt to offset a colour-blocked ensemble, or add brilliant pumps to an otherwise conservative outfit. Credit: Getty

Hello!

Crantz Couture is a blog about global fashion from a Nigerian/African point of view. It's also a medium for me to vent and blab about a lot of things you might (or may not) find random. My full names are Doherty Bolanle Rosencrantz, (call me Crantz). I'm also a fashion designer, the name'Crantz Couture' is from my clothing line..this Blog serves to satisfy all your fashion and style cravings and if you feel like it isn't doing that.Got a general question Email me at Crantzblog@gmail.com